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Different takes on Siddiqui column

Re: To end Muslim terrorism, end the wars on Muslims, Opinion Nov. 9

To end Muslim terrorism, end the wars on Muslims, Opinion Nov. 9

Thanks to Haroon Siddiqui for this piece, with its conclusion, “this statement of the obvious is rarely if ever mentioned by our politicians and pundits.”

The recent clash of civilizations has been heartbreaking. There has not been silence about the brutality of Western “civilization” for there are innumerable and superb eyewitness accounts of torture, sanctions, siege, and the grotesque weapons used by the “just” coalition.

But there continues to be indifference and even self-righteousness and glorification of these practices that have brought destruction to age-old cultures. And this level of brutality is clearly not new to Western enlightened non-Muslim societies: the crusades, the genocidal colonization of non-white parts of the world, the Napoleonic wars so incredibly described by Tolstoy, the world wars, the Gaza massacres, and now even the UN-sanctioned wars.

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It's also so clear that war is also against young people as children are targeted, and young men are sacrificed on behalf of warlords and war ladies.

A first step: confine these captains of the military-industrial-financial complex to kindergarten until they learn they can't hurt others, they can't have it all, that they need to take turns and make reparations and fix all the awful things they've done.

Judith Deutsch, Toronto

Haroon Siddiqui's opinion is frankly ludicrous and inflammatory. The West is not at war with Muslims. It is at war with radical, dogmatic, Islamic extremists who are trying to control and impose their rigid and brutal beliefs on the Middle East, and large parts of Africa and Asia.

They don't believe in a tolerant, pluralistic society. They don't believe in the freedom of expression and ideas. They want to exterminate unbelievers. They would be no more satisfied with our retreat than Hitler was annexing Czechoslovakia.

It's either fight them now and eliminate this threat to a modern and progressive world, or face a much larger and more destructive war in the future.

Fraser Steele, Toronto

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I was disappointed to read that two-thirds of Canadians agree to bomb Iraq. What if the situation was reversed? Let's say two deranged Canadians went to Iraq and killed two Iraqis and injured another. How would we feel if the Iraq government decided to drop bombs on Ottawa, Toronto and, say, Vancouver as payback? How would we feel when innocent Canadians walking along a street were suddenly blown to bits? Would we not say we are not responsible for the actions of mentally unstable people?

A generation ago, hundreds of thousands people stopped the Vietnam war. Nowadays, we seem way to eager to drop bombs or attack someone for very questionable reasons.

The Canada I grew up in was known as a peacekeeping nation. We have to remember that if we keep attacking countries, then one day, they will return the “favour.”

Gary Brigden, Toronto

I agree with Haroon Siddiqui that the U.S. should stop the war on Muslims, because a lot of innocent human life is lost and a lot of collateral damage is caused by the hammer approach.

However I disagree that this will end terrorism by the few “Muslims” who are bent on killing all infidels — mostly other Muslims.

Asghar Methiwalla, Toronto

If Haroon Siddiqui thinks the West should eliminate terrorism by ending the war on Muslims, I suggest that Muslims start by ending the war on, well, everybody, but first and foremost on their fellow Muslims.

Nicole Chardenet, Etobicoke

Haroon Siddiqui says it's “obvious” that ending Western military action in the Middle East would put a stop to terrorist attacks in the West. He may be right, though that's far from certain.

What is indeed obvious is that pulling Western forces out of Muslim countries would abandon hundreds of thousands of innocents to be terrorized, dominated and, in many cases, enslaved and/or killed by bloodthirsty, power-hungry and deluded “Islamists.” Perhaps he can justify that. I can't.

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